78th Jacaranda Festival 2012 Who will reign in 2012?

(l-r) Jacaranda Queen entrants Jenna Atherton, Sharni Rouse, Sara Filewood, with Matron of Honour Pauline Glasser, Tara Lavelle Skinner and Arcana Beneke were presented at the festival’s official opening, The Jacaranda Ball at South Grafton Ex-Servicemen’s Club last Saturday. Pic: Lynne Mowbray

The big night is almost here for the young Grafton women who have put their hands up to vie to become the 2012 Jacaranda Festival Queen.

Sara Filewood, Arcana Beneke, Tara Lavelle Skinner, Jenna Atherton and Sharni Rouse have been busy in the past few months fundraising to support the Jacaranda Festival.

On Saturday night, they will take to the new stage in Market Square in front of hundreds, for the announcement of who will take the honour of being this year’s Queen.

Other titles to be announced include the Holiday Princess – the candidate who raised the most money – as well as the Jacaranda Princess.

Lou Bloomer had entered the quest, but decided not to continue on.

This year 12 young girls have entered the junior Queen quest: Bronte Cameron, Tyarn Clark, Emma Essex, Annabel Green, Katelin Hebbard, Laura McCann, Courtney McKew, Hannah Munro, Marie Parker, and Tenille Petrie.

They have also been involved in fundraising events organised by the Jacaranda committee